Fullerton College running back Gerald Hulett dives into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown with 47 seconds remaining in Fullerton’s 16-12 victory over San Mateo in the CCCAA state championship game Saturday afternoon at Sacramento City College. (Photo courtesy of Terry Bernal, San Mateo Daily Journal)

SACRAMENTO — Gerald Hulett’s 1-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds left – set up by Justin Manyweather’s 59-yard punt return on the previous play – lifted Fullerton College to a 16-12 victory over the College of San Mateo for its second consecutive state title on Saturday afternoon at Sacramento City College.

The state championship is the fifth overall for the Hornets (13-0), who are ranked No.1 in the state and the nation. Fullerton, which has a 19-game winning streak that dates to Oct. 22, 2016, defeated American River of Sacramento in the 2016 title game.

“All year long, we’ve had someone step up and make plays and it was (Manyweather’s) turn to do it,” Fullerton coach Tim Byrnes said.

Jared Latu threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to Rajae Johnson, giving the Bulldogs (11-2) a 12-9 lead with 6:27 left.

With 3:28 remaining, Fullerton’s Antonio missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt that would have tied the score. Fullerton was driving again when Evan Dawson intercepted Johnny Feauto’s pass at the San Mateo 5-yard line with 2:01 remaining.

Fullerton used its remaining timeouts on defense and stopped Bulldogs running back Cameron Taylor one yard short of a first down on a third-and-4 to force a punt from their 14-yard line with 1:06 left.

Instead of kicking away from Manyweather – who averaged 18 yards per return this season – the Bulldogs kicked it to him in the middle of the field. He broke through the first line of would-be tacklers, cut left and wasn’t stopped until he’d reached the 1-yard line with 51 seconds left. Hulett plunged over the middle of the line for his 18th touchdown on the next play.

“We had dudes there to make the play and that guy is just an incredible athlete,” San Mateo kicker/punter Justin Watts told the San Mateo Daily Journal of the punt return. “What do you do? Special players make special plays on special days, and that’s a special player right there.”

“We were thinking they were probably going to bring a lot of pressure,” Watts added. “So, I was more worried about getting it off, getting a good punt, get it high; let’s get down there and cover it. We just didn’t make the tackles.”

San Mateo quarterback Miles Kendrick was sacked three times on his team’s final possession to end the game.

Fullerton, which had been averaging a program-record 57.4 points per game, was held to its lowest point total of the season.

“We didn’t play well on offense today,” Byrnes said. “But I’m going to give the credit to (San Mateo).”

Feauto passed for 162 yards and a touchdown, and Caleb Johnson was credited with a safety for Fullerton when Kendrick was penalized for intentional grounding out of the end zone in the second half.